This is a school where pupils receive a high level of support. Pupils work in small groups. Staff build positive relationships with pupils. Pupils are safe. Bullying is rare. Pupils trust staff to sort out any problems they may have. The school is ambitious for pupils. Pupils follow national curriculum subjects. Pupils sit a range of qualifications. Pupils are proud of what they achieve. All pupils at the school have education, health and care (EHC) plans. Staff know pupils well. Pupils receive effective support for their social, emotional and mental health needs. However, the identification of pupils’ additional learning needs is not as precise as it needs to be. Many pupils have struggled to manage in their previous school. Once settled at The Meadows, most pupils attend and behave well. A small number of pupils, however, do not attend school, or lessons, as consistently as they need to. Some pupils struggle to keep calm at times. Staff are quick to help pupils when this happens. There is no disruption to the learning of others. The school encourages pupils to read widely. Pupils read regularly. The teaching of phonics to pupils at the early stage of reading is underdeveloped. The school has recently gained new leaders, including a governing body called an interim executive board. Despite this period of change, the school has remained a stable and caring place to be.